Asymmetric electric couple



March 18, 1930. s. RUBEN I ASYMMETRIC ELECTRIC COUPLE Filed Aug; 2o, 1925 BY E: Y

Z I ATTORNSY lNvENToR or omo Panarea 1s, v1930 'i vf UNrluoI"sfla'rrs'.flncrrla'r ori-*ICE SAMUEL RUBEN, E NEW Yo'Ex, N. Y., AssIaNoia` 'ro RUBEN nEcmIEE. coEroEA'rIoN, or ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, A conroaATIoN 0E DELAWARE A AsmErnrc ELEcrEIc ,c'oUPLE Application led August 20,' 1925,. Serial No. 51,524.

` This invention relates to asymmetric elecv tric couples and more particularly to electric couples adapted to be'nsed in alternating curnegative material employed as the other electrode element. Such rectiers depend for their operation upon the resistance and current blocking characteristics of the film lwhich forms at the junction of the electrode elements as the result of electrochemical action. Rectifiers of this'character, known to the prior art, have/been low in eiciency and limited in their application to small currents, becoming unstable after short periods of use. The present invention accordinglyhas for its object, generali to provide a device of the character speci ed which is el'icient, eco-A nomical and readily manufactured. Specifi-` cally, its object is to provide an arrangement of electrode elements in electric .couples which 1s free from high internal resistance and low output voltage, and which are ada ted for film formation and maintenance an donot require aging or other electrical or chemi cal operating development to insure unilateral conductivity. v

Thisapplication is a continuation in part of my prior applications rSerial No. 739,188, filed September 22nd 1924, now Patent No. 1,649,741; Serial No. 50,539, filed November 18th, 1924, now Patent N0. 1,649,742; Serial No. 754,956, filed December 10th, 1924; 'Serial No. 155, filed January 2nd, 1925, now Patent No. 1,649,743; Serial No. 13,143, filed March V5th, 1925, now Patent No. 1,649,744; Serial No. 14,657, fled March 11th, 1925; and'Serial No. 38,780, filed- J une 22nd, 1925, now Patent No., 1,723,525. This application has been di-A..

vided, to claim specifically the magnesium' electrode element; the divisional ap lication being SerialNo. 415,411, filed Decem 'er 20th,

oehefebjeas of vthemaaien will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinbe exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature The invention accordingly comprises the vfeatures of construction, combinationl of ele` ments and arrangement of parts whichwill and objects of the invention reference should y be had tothe following detailed: description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Figurel 1 is a diagrammatic view -of anelectric current rectifier embodying the subi ject matter of thezpresent invention; and

Fig. 2 shows schematically a dry surface contact electric couple constructed in accordance with the invention. y

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 2, 10 denotes an electropositive electrode element in disk form which may be made of a relatively highlyelectro positive metal, for example magnesium. The

electronegative electrode element is also of a' disk-like or washer-shaped forni, and is shown at 11 in direct contact with the electropositive element.

Int-he pract1ce of the inventiom-the electronegative element here provided is a metallic compound. withat least one of the elements of the sixth periodic group, which 1s commonly known as the sulphur group. While thosel elements thereof which are conductive, l j r as, for example, tellurium or selenium, may be used in their .normal state, still theseelements or those elements thereof which are non-conductive, such'as, for example, oxygen and sulphur, may be readily used' when 1n i combination with a metal forming a lconductive com ound, such as, for example,l the oxides, sulp ides, tellurides and selenides.`

These substancesl give asymmetrical'electrical conductive effects whenscoupled with a rela tively electropositive" chemical element .or compound', such as metallic magnesium, or its amalgam; and the greater the diver ence in the electrochemical scale 4between t e substances used for theelectropositive andthe `electronegatveelectrode elements, the more effective therectification.A

f It has also lbeen discovered .that current ing the electrostatic forces by its movement in synchronism with the electric field. Such an alloy compound improves the physical characteristics of the couple, particularly by mini-v mizing. oxidation or decomposition 'when brought to a high temperature in air.

In the practice of the invention, the electronegative electrode element here provided.

is specially formed so as to have inherently the desired reacting properties in the process of forming and maintaining the inverse current blocking film at the junction with the electropositiveelectrode element without the use of an interposed resistance layer. By these properties, forming currents customarily employed in the so-called aging proc'- esses may be dispensed with.

An electronegative electrode of the character indicated above may be produced by employing a sulphidedcopper cornpoundwhich is derived by the use of an alloy. A practicable method of providing such a substance will be found to be that of employing a copper alloy in which the'alloy material has an inherently higher resistance than pure cupric sulphide, and thereafter heatingthe metal to approximately 800 C. in the presence of sulphur, and finally permitting the mass to cool. Thus, a copper compound is produced, the body of which has a higher specific resistance than that of pure cupric sulphide, and such a vbody will not re uire the use of a facing or intermediate oxi e layer'when utilized for electrical rectification purposes.

f While other alloys may be employed, it is particularly desirable toform the electronegative electrode element from a copper compound, it being a preferable element, and readily forming the desired compounds, such as sulphide, selenide, telluridel and oxides.

' The material added to vary its nal resistlance could be lead, tin, zinc, antimony, or any other that will itself forma sulphide or compound having a greater electrical resistance than the copper sulphide.

An assemblage of couplesretained 'under suitable pressure is shown in Fig. 1, Where 12denotes a bolt which is passed through a plurality of aligned asymmetric couples 13 that are arranged in series in two groups inverted with. respect to each other; the bolt 12 is insulated from these couples by means of a sleeve of insulation shown at 14. Interposed between the inverted'groups of asymmetric the electronegative electrode element of each group so that this electrode serves as a negative terminal, as indicated, for the circuit traversed by the rectied current.

Substantially midway of the series of asymmetric couples in each group is interposed an electrode 16,; the electrodes so interposed are adapted to be connected across the terminals of a suitable source of alternating current, for example, the alternating current transformer shown at 17.

The arrangement of asymmetric couples in the rectifying device is adapted for fullwave rectification, since the outer end of each group of asymmetric couples is adapted to serve as a positive terminal, but, for simplicity of illustration, lthe circuit comprisng the conductors 20,21 and 22 isshown as connected to but one positive terminal so as to be traversed by only one-half of the alternating current wave received by the rectifying device. In series with the conductors 21 and 22 which connect with the positive terminal i of the rectifying device shown in service, is connected a cut-out device shown generally at 23. `This cut-out device may be of any convenient type, but is preferably one having unilateral conductivity and may be an' asymmetric couple of the same type as used in the rectifying' device itself'.

It will be found that an electrical rectifier constructed in accordance with the present invention provides practicable units of high capacity, and its capacity is not limited by 'leakage or incompletely formed areas. When vassembled thel units require no formation process and are immediately on assembly commercially operable, in addition to the fact that the rectifier may be utilized in connection with low power transformers, for the reason that it does not require the intense formation current, or the reformation of any l area'due to hydrolytic or other secondary reactions. Also,the units are especially adapted for instantaneous or intermittent use, especially the latter, so that a device embodying the subject matter of the present invention can be employed to supplant storage batteries for such uses as signal circuits. Due

to the initial rectification condition, and no l formation current being necessary, it is now practicable to utilize a rectifier of this type in numerous novel associations, and because of its inherent asymmetrical conductive condition the discharge of a battery upon the interruption of the charging current is cut to a negligible minimum. Furthermore,I where cupric compound disks are employed it will be found that these elements will resist breal.- age stresses, and even though relatively thin,

'they may readily beground .to have a'hard,

smooth surface, so that uniformity of pro# i,

A not pol'arize by) electrochemical reaction.

It is y,also to e understood that the following claimsqare intended to cver all of the genericvands ecific :features of the invention herein "desri ed and allstatementsof the scope of tli'einvention which as a matter of language might be said to 'fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, `what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In dry surface contact rectifying devices and the like, an asymmetric couple comprising an electropositive.` electrode element of magnesium, and an electronegative electrode leleinent formed of a metallic compound with an element of the sixth periodic group alloyed to have inherently reaction properties adapted'for the formation and maintenance of an inverse current blocking film at the junction of said electrodeelements; said couple having means for maintaining the elementsthereof yunited under pressure.

2. In dry surface contact rectifying devices and the like, an asymmetric couple comprising A'an electropositive electrode element of..

magnesium, vand an electronegative electrode element formed vof a metallic base containing copper comdiounded with an element of ther sixth perio group vand alloyed to have inherently reaction properties adapted for the formation and maintenance of an inverse current blocking iilm at the junction of said electrode elements; said couple having means for maintainingthe elements thereof united under pressure.

3. In -dry surface contact rectifying devices aii'd the like, van asymmetric couple comprising an electropositive electrode element of magnesium, and 4an electronegative electrode element formed of a metallic base 5. In drysurface contact rectifying def i vices and the like, an asymmetric couple comprsing- ,an electropositveelectrode element of ma esiuin,`and an electronegative electrode e ement formedof a metallic. body compounded with an element of the oxygen series of the sixth periodic group, said-electronegative element having resistance properties adapted lto reactV electrochemically when' passing current whereby an inverse .current blocking lm is formed and' maintained. at the junction of said electrode elements.

7. In dry surface vcontact rectifying devices and the like, an vas etric couple comprising an electropositive electrode element of magnesium, and anelectronegative electrode element formed of'a copper alloy, said alloy being compounded with an element of the oxygen.- series of the sixth pe# riodic group, said alloyhavin components taken in respective amounts su cient to impart resistance properties adapted to react electrochemically when passing current whereby an inverse current blocking film is formed and maintained at the junction of said electrode-elements. v

In testimony whereof I ax my si ature.

l SAMUEL R EN.

containing copper compounded with a chemical element from the group includin oxygen, sulphur, selenium and telluriumv an `alloyed to have inherently reaction properties adapted for the formation andmaintenance of an inverse current blocking iilm at the junction chemical element from the sixth periodic v group beginning with the letter S whereby the electronegative electrode element has in herentl reaction properties adapted .forthe formationand maintenance of an inverse \current blocking film at the junctionl of said electrode elements; said couple havin means for maintaining the elements thereo united under pressure.'

les 

